Lago Scuro Parmense - Italy

Lake Scuro Parmense is an oligotrophic dimictic lake of glacial origin located in the Tuscan Emilian Apennines National Park at an altitude of 1527 m a.s.l. It has a surface area of 1.2 ha, and maximum depth reaches 10.4 m. The lake often undergoes strong seasonal fluctuations in water level. The period of ice cover usually lasts from November to May. Although naturally fishless, fish has occasionally been released in the lake over the years. A small boat is stationed near the lake for sampling operations. Limnological studies on this lake started in 1986 and continued until nowadays, although with discontinuity. Research topics that have been addressed over the years at the lake include phytoplankton and zooplankton ecology and phenology, predation/competition interactions and energy fluxes through pelagic food web, evolution of trophic state, sensitivity to acidification and climate change.